Nothing wrong with dogs

[patrick]

???Some of the recent posts have been a little down on dogs and how people should not taking them skiing. To all you whiners who can't stand to share the backcountry with dogs - I say lighten up. They do minimal damage to the track - way less than snowshoers or postholers - and they need their exercise too. As long as the dogs aren't chasing deer I derive great joy watching a happy dog bound about.

For me one of the biggest turnoffs about skiing on the groomed trails in Anchorage is the prevalent trail Nazi attitude. The skiiers hate the dog walkers, and the mountain bikers hate the skiier - everybody hates everyone else. I've seen skiiers go over and yell at dog walkers. I've also seen runners intentionally run down the middle of a soft groomed track just to put it in the eye of the skiing crowd. Very depressing. I don't want to see this happen in Kodiak. Patrick

[gcr]

I would second that. I find those people that take their dog out with them, be it skiing running or hiking have much better behaved dogs and cause little problem. If we had to make a list of things that ruin outdoor experiences dogs would be pretty far down the list (well below dog-haters).

[mrsquishy]

All I know is that Saturday when I skied up the Buskin river there was an excellent hard and smooth track. When I skied down after the dogs had been up and down the trail , the track was destroyed and the skiing was terrible - skis sinking in, etc. What would have been a marvelous fast ski turned into trail breaking. My suggestion: since dogs follow the skier in the trail, dog owners please do this: rather than ski on an established track that others might want to ski on, make your own trail for you and your dogs. Then those of us that want to enjoy a nice track can do so and you get to ski with your dogs.

[Philip]

Apr 5, 2009 13:34:09 GMT -9 patrick said:

trail Nazi attitude.

I remember someone recently pooping a pineapple and calling the cops when his track got messed up. Now who was that? ;D

[patrick]

Touche. However, there is a big difference between grinding your ATV wheels in an anadromous stream and messing up a ski track with your dogs. Also, just because I 'pooped a pineapple' and lost my temper does not make it right. In fact, if I had been a little more understanding and friendly I probably would have both been happier myself and more effective about educating them about the laws regarding salmon streams. Patrick